Life's Paradox: Change is constant in life, yet many challenges remain the same. As we adapt and grow, stoic wisdom helps us navigate these familiar obstacles throughout different stages of our lives.
Life is full of changes, yet some patterns remain constant. Reflecting on a decade since writing "The Obstacle is the Way," it’s clear that while personal experiences evolve—like marriage and parenthood—the core challenges of existence stay consistent. We face obstacles in various forms, influenced by ongoing events around us. As we grow and navigate life’s complexities through different stages, we realize that stoic principles apply universally. Just as history repeats itself with familiar trials, our growth is intertwined with a deeper understanding of resilience. This understanding fuels our ability to adapt and learn from challenges no matter how different our circumstances feel. Thus, even as we change, the essence of our experiences connects us to the wider human journey, providing a lens to view life's unending cycle of obstacles and opportunities for growth.
Timeless Wisdom: Timeless Stoic wisdom adapts with personal growth. Marcus Aurelius exemplified this by rising early each day, embracing responsibilities, and reflecting on his purpose, showing how ancient teachings remain relevant today.
Timeless wisdom, like that from Stoic philosophers, remains relevant even as personal interpretations evolve over time. The core principles of Stoicism, which encourage discipline and meaningful living, are not drastically changed by individual experiences, but rather refined. Marcus Aurelius, a philosopher king, exemplified this through his daily routine, emphasizing the importance of rising early and embracing responsibilities as a human being. His meditations reveal that true motivation comes from understanding our purpose and choosing to act, even against comfort. This ongoing journey of learning and applying ancient wisdom can enrich our lives today, just as it did for Aurlius thousands of years ago. Therefore, whether revisiting past teachings or exploring new insights, we contribute to a lasting dialogue that remains crucial for self-improvement and fulfillment. This ongoing effort is something that everyone can strive for in their own lives.
Mindful Productivity: Start your day with reflection and prepare for challenges ahead. Focus on tasks, embrace feedback, and maintain clarity. This approach helps you navigate daily responsibilities effectively and cultivates a peaceful mindset.
Marcus Aurelius teaches us the importance of starting our day with intentional reflection and preparation for what lies ahead. Instead of getting overwhelmed by distractions and negative encounters, he emphasizes anticipating challenges, maintaining focus on tasks, and embracing feedback. This mindful approach allows for greater patience, understanding, and productivity throughout the day, making it easier to face responsibilities and lead effectively. By concentrating on what truly matters and simplifying our thoughts, we can navigate our daily routines with clarity and purpose. Aurelius, through his writings, encourages us to cultivate a peaceful mindset amidst chaos and to view criticism as a tool for growth, ultimately guiding us to fulfill our responsibilities with integrity and diligence.
Balancing Duty and Well-being: Marcus Aurelius managed overwhelming stress by embracing balance through physical activity, reflection, and Stoic practices. He prioritized self-care amidst his duties, highlighting the importance of mental escape and personal well-being in the face of life's challenges.
Marcus Aurelius faced tremendous stress and challenges during his reign. Despite the overwhelming responsibilities of leadership, he sought balance by engaging in physical activities and nature, allowing him to mentally escape the chaos around him. He practiced Stoicism, emphasizing the importance of coping mechanisms like journaling and meditation. By not being solely focused on business, Marcus found moments of peace in the midst of turmoil. He understood the value of nurturing his mind and spirit, reminding himself that relaxation could be achieved at any moment through inward reflection, no matter the external pressures. This balance between duty and personal care helped him manage stress, illustrating how maintaining one’s well-being is crucial, even for those in power.
Stoic Virtue: Marcus Aurelius taught the importance of responding to challenges with calmness, learning from experiences, and valuing family, while emphasizing the Stoic principle of recognizing life's impermanence for personal growth.
Marcus Aurelius faced numerous challenges and difficult people throughout his life, yet he chose to respond with intention and virtue rather than anger. He saw obstacles as opportunities to practice his philosophical beliefs. By engaging with philosophy, reading diligently, and reflecting on his actions each evening, he held himself accountable and focused on becoming a better person. His commitment to calmness, learning, and family highlights the Stoic principle of recognizing life’s impermanence. By contemplating mortality, he valued meaningful interactions, treating each day as a chance for personal growth and deeper connections.
Mindful Living: Mindfulness and humility are key to appreciating our time. Reflecting on our days helps us stay grounded, reminding us to grow and not take life for granted.
Being mindful of how we spend our time is crucial. Marcus Aurelius, despite his power, reflected daily on his life and the fleeting nature of time. He encouraged humility, reminding himself not to get lost in success or honors. By gaining perspective, like viewing a powerful army from above, he stayed grounded. He saw each day as a chance to learn, grow, and not take time for granted. This practice, recognizing that each day could be our last, allows us to appreciate our moments better. By applying similar routines, we can also be more present and intentional in our lives, preventing busyness from tricking us into thinking we are more important than we truly are. Finding ways to zoom out and gain perspective, while being grateful for our time, can lead to a more meaningful existence.
Sleep Discipline: Sleep discipline is crucial for productivity and health. A calming bedtime routine can enhance early rising. Embrace Stoic insights to improve your life balance and well-being.
Prioritizing sleep is essential for maintaining health and productivity. As highlighted, discipline before bedtime can greatly impact your ability to wake up early and tackle the day ahead. Activities like mindlessly scrolling on your phone can interfere with rest. It's vital to be intentional about creating a calming nighttime routine. Taking inspiration from successful individuals, like Mark Swillis, emphasizes the importance of looking after your well-being. The Daily Stoic email community has grown significantly over the years, encouraging more people to reflect on these themes daily. Joining this community can offer valuable insights into achieving a balanced life through Stoic philosophy. Remember, protecting your sleep is just as important as the motivations for waking early, and ensuring you get adequate rest is fundamental for success and health. Deliberate choices made before bedtime can lead to lasting positive outcomes for your overall well-being.
This Doesn’t Change But You Do | The Daily Routine That Built Marcus Aurelius
Recent Episodes from The Daily Stoic
This Doesn’t Change But You Do | The Daily Routine That Built Marcus Aurelius
So much has changed over the course of a decade…so little as well. The 10th anniversary edition of The Obstacle Is the Way has relevant and insightful lessons (including a new foreword) that Ryan couldn’t have possibly written a decade ago. If you have been listening to the podcast for a while but haven’t read The Obstacle Is the Way yet, this is a fantastic time and place to start—it will advance your understanding of the lessons of the Stoics and how to apply them to your life.
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The Most Disciplined Side Wins | Practice Silence
The Stoics—just like activists—didn’t always win but they showed themselves always as worthy of winning. They showed themselves to be the most disciplined side.
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at https://store.dailystoic.com/
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The Hobby That Changed Ryan Holiday's Life
Some people travel for the food. Others for the nightlife. Some travel for work. Others travel to get away. Ryan travels for the swimming.
🎙️ Listen to Bonnie Tsui’s interview on the Daily Stoic Podcast
📚 Grab a copy of Swimming Holes of Texas by Julie Wernersbach | https://www.thepaintedporch.com/
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Wright Thompson on Untangling Myth from History in America
Wright Thompson grew up in the Mississippi Delta, unaware that his family farm was just 23 miles away from the barn where 14 year old Emmett Till was murdered in 1955. When writing The Barn, Wright had to take a look at the place he had always known as home with fresh eyes and courageously uncover the details of Emmett's tragic story that had been buried for decades.
In today’s episode, Wright and Ryan continue their conversation about Emmett Till’s legacy, the complexity of American history, why it’s important to know where you come from, and the responsibility of preserving Emmett’s story.
You can get signed copies of The Barn and Wright’s other books,The Cost of These Dreams, Pappyland, at The Painted Porch | https://www.thepaintedporch.com/
You can follow him on Instagram @wrightthompsonbooks or head to his website, https://wrightthompson.com/
🎙️ Listen to Pt. 1 of Wright and Ryan’s conversation on the Daily Stoic | Apple Podcasts & Spotify
Check out Wright Thompson’s very first interview on the Daily Stoic Podcast | Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or watch it on YouTube!
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This Is What You Do | What Will Prosperity Reveal?
We don’t have the power to bring the people we love back, but by choosing to embody the virtues of loved ones we have lost, we not only carry forward their spirit in our actions, we transform our pain and suffering into meaning and purpose.
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This Is The Most Common Obstacle | How Can We Balance Confidence and Humility?
The annoying coworker, the unreasonable client, the demanding coach, the selfish teammate, the family member who pushes all your buttons—these are constant opportunities to practice virtue.
Ask DS:
- What is the purpose of our ego?
- How can we find a balance between confidence and humility?
+ More!
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Be Brave Enough To Do This
We carry our own weight in this world, we blow our own nose, as Epictetus says. It’s what’s right, it’s what’s fair, it’s our job.
💡 We designed The Daily Stoic Leadership Challenge: Ancient Wisdom For Modern Leaders to mirror the kind of education that produced historically great leaders like Marcus Aurelius. Check it out at store.dailystoic.com
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Wright Thompson on Reckoning with the South’s Buried Secrets
Anne Frank and Martin Luther King Junior were born in the same year. The last known widow of a Civil War veteran lived to see Barack Obama become the first African-American President. Emmett Till would be the same age as Neil Diamond, Martha Stewart, and Bob Dylan in 2024 if he was not brutally tortured and murdered in 1955. Facts like these remind us that history is not as far away as we think it is.
Wright Thompson, is a Senior Writer at ESPN and author of The Cost of These Dreams, Pappyland, and most recently, The Barn, which uncovers the real story of Emmett Till’s murder in the Mississippi Delta. Wright joins Ryan to talk about the impact of cognitive dissonance, how political rhetoric has shaped racial violence, why history is closer than we think, the rise and fall of the cotton boom, and what it was like for Wright to learn the truth about Emmett Till’s story.
You can get signed copies of The Barn and Wright’s other books, The Cost of These Dreams, Pappyland, at The Painted Porch | https://www.thepaintedporch.com/
You can follow him on Instagram @wrightthompsonbooks or head to his website, https://wrightthompson.com/
🎙️Listen to Wright Thompson’s first interview on the Daily Stoic Podcast | Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or watch it on YouTube!
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It’s All About How You Close | Timeless (Stoic) Habits To Transform Your Future
What matters is how we bring the show to a close, what matters is the ending we give each scene.
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📚 Dying Every Day: Seneca at the Court of Nero by James Romm at The Painted Porch https://www.thepaintedporch.com/
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It’s How It Makes You Heal | Pain Is Self-Inflicted Harm
It wasn’t fun that it went sideways. It hurt that they hurt you. It took something that you can never get back. That’s life. That’s resiliency. That’s how the obstacle is the way.
📕 Get a signed, numbered first-edition of the 10th anniversary edition of The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday at dailystoic.com/obstacle
📓 Pick up a signed edition of The Daily Stoic Journal: 366 Days of Writing and Reflection on The Art of Living: https://store.dailystoic.com/
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